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Day 1- Holiday Movies
You can join me if you’d like, but I’m the only one who ever enjoys them.
Lilith didn’t know whether to take that as an invitation or a subtle message not to bother with watching them. Personally, she’d never cared for any holiday movie and still didn’t particularly want to see them, but she was intrigued to see how Zelda partook in her movie marathon. None of them celebrated Christmas traditionally and the sight of her new high priestess singing along to mortal holiday tunes was too hilarious to miss.
Only having used the doorbell once in her life, Lilith decided soon after that walking straight into her desired room was the best course of action. The Spellman parlour was decorated perfectly; clearly filled with homemade ornaments and objects from over the years, but everything perfectly in its place- and Zelda fit just right against her festive backdrop. “You don’t startle me anymore coming in like that. You do it too often.” The redhead didn’t even look up this time; Lilith had a certain aura about her that Zelda came to know well after a while.
“Not even a little jump? None, what a pity,” but even Lilith couldn’t help crack a small smile amidst her obviously fake pout. They were used to each other’s presence by now and slowly they’d started letting their respective guards down when it was just the two of them. After months of rebuilding a church structure and reviewing doctrines together, the two had grown to where they could comfortably call each other friends.
Zelda only shook her head and twisted her torso just enough to beckon the demon over to the couch. “Oh just come sit down, Lilith.” When she did sit, she did so stiffly, realizing that even though they’d spent time in a professional capacity together, they’d never done anything quite so… casual before. And Lilith wasn’t used to casual. If Zelda noticed, she didn’t say anything. Instead she just turned her attention back to the television where a clay reindeer whined about trying to hide his nose.
Three movies in and it was definitely past midnight, but the films had no end in sight. “Aren’t these movies for children? Wouldn’t they be in bed by now?”
“The movies are for anyone who wants to sit and watch them.” Over the past six hours, Zelda’s head had taken the slow journey from Lilith’s shoulder to now resting on her thigh, her hair being gently brushed through with Lilith’s fingers. “They’re predictable and cozy. A known holiday quantity.” Zelda picked at microscopic lint on the edge of the couch, clearly not focused enough to defend her uncharacteristic love of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer . “I told you up front you didn’t have to come. Clearly it’s not a group festivity; none of my family came down to indulge this evening.”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t enjoying them.” She wasn’t, but in tilting her head down Lilith caught sight of the barest hint of a frown and she wasn’t going to make Zelda feel any worse, intentionally or accidentally. “I just meant why so many, especially at once.” She’d gotten comfortable enough to rest back against the couch and although she was unsurprisingly bored with the perils of the children on the screen, she couldn’t bring herself to leave just yet.
“Why does it matter how many I watch? It’s my time and my cable bill.” The poor couch was finally abandoned in favor of Zelda grumpily crossing her arms, one hand coming up to muffle her unwanted yawn. They had been watching a lot tonight and it was only reasonable that she take a break and watch more another time, but she’d be damned if she ever admitted Lilith was right. “They’re funny and I like them…”
“You must have seen these at least a dozen times each at this point, don’t you know what happens by heart? And why not watch something classic such as Holiday Inn or that one where Santa is hopelessly drunk at the beginning or-”
Lilith stopped her rampage when a soft snore from below interrupted her. Her free hand nudged the redhead’s shoulder and she only turned over, knees curling up on the couch. Zelda was fast asleep. The blue screen light highlighted the contours of her pale face from across the room and she looked peaceful, less rigid than normal. Still, Lilith couldn’t be expected to simply stay until she woke up, right? But she couldn’t wake her up. The woman deserved a bit of a break, Lilith couldn’t steal it from her for her own comfort. Instead she let out a deep sigh, making sure to sound exasperated just in case anyone was watching, and carefully cradled Zelda’s head in her hands while she curled her knees up on the couch. Once she’d gotten fairly situated, she let her head rest back on her thighs, red hair cascading over Lilith’s tight skirt.
“If I didn’t know you’d been working so hard, I wouldn’t let you do this,” Lilith was whispering so as not to wake Zelda up, but also just to hear some noise over the happily singing carolers still going strong in the background. “I have work to do. You probably know that, but I guess you couldn’t care less... seeing as you simply fell asleep on me.” Truly, she wasn’t nearly as annoyed as she said, but someone had to fight off the unfamiliar tender feelings blossoming in her chest. But as she slid the previously neatly folded blanket off the back of the couch and tucked the edges around Zelda to ensure both of their comforts, Lilith decided that maybe just this once she could make an exception and let a softer side take over.
She let herself press a kiss to Zelda’s temple, telling herself she was merely obligated to- that’s how you put people to sleep properly. “Consider this your holiday gift, Zelda.”